i would recommend Lama Zopa Rinpoche's '' how to practice Dharma - teaching on the eight worldly dharmas '' this is not a kagyu book as you know but i think it is a very important and one of a kind work on buddhist psychology and the core of buddhist mind training practice, even though its not lojong.

i would cover this buddhist psychology and mind training aspect of mahayana before introducing vajrayana.

the other book would maybe be sun of wisdom by khenpo tsultrim gyamtso. some middle way text.

If the thought of demons Never rises in your mind, You need not fear the demon hosts around you. It is most important to tame your mind within....

In so far as the Ultimate, or the true nature of being is concerned, there are neither buddhas or demons. He who frees himself from fear and hope, evil and virtue, will realize the insubstantial and groundless nature of confusion. Samsara will then appear as the mahamudra itself….

It's not a practice book, but as a general introduction I'd recommend Dr. Reginald Rays' "Indestructible Truth" and "Secret of the Vajra World". He wrote them as a college level text for and introductory course in Tibetan Buddhism. Dr. Ray was the senior meditation instructor for Trungpa's organization so they don't read like a college text. They read like they were written by a practitioner. There is absolutely no Trungpa 'spin' on the Dharma at all though. He gets everything right, and is a good writer as well.

Once you've got a good general ed type knowledge then you can get specific instructions on beginner's practice. Or you can cut to the chase and sign up with Dzogchen Community, if you're so disposed. I'm not, but that's just me.

A human being has his limits. And thus, in every conceivable way, with every possible means, he tries to make the teaching enter into his own limits. ChNN

I would say if your friend wants an outline of what the Kagyu system is about then "wild awakening" by Dzogchen Ponlop is very good. Half the book is The mahamudra aproach especially in Karma Kagyu then the other Half is the Dzogchen approach. Then It would be a very good idea for them to read the forward and ending discussion of the translation "rain of wisdom" by the Nalanda Translation Committee and Trungpa.

This will cover both the technical steps and basic overview of the Kagyu schools in general, by reading Ponlop Rinpoches outline, and by reading the Rain of Wisdom forward / end section it will cover a lot of important specifics of devotion and the kagyu view on that.

"The Sutras, Tantras, and Philosophical Scriptures are great in number. However life is short, and intelligence is limited, so it's hard to cover them completely. You may know a lot, but if you don't put it into practice, it's like dying of thirst on the shore of a great lake. Likewise, it happens that a common corpse is found in the bed of a great scholar." ~ Karma Chagme

dharmagoat wrote:I found Gampopa's "Jewel Ornament of Liberation" to be a good introductory text for those wanting to acquaint themselves with the foundations of Kagyu practice without the introductory preamble.

There is a great commentary by Thrangu Rinpoche.

If you’re practising Dharma, you practise it for enlightenment. Not for rights, not for freedom, not for justice, not for healing, not for getting better in a worldly way.~Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche

dharmagoat wrote:I found Gampopa's "Jewel Ornament of Liberation" to be a good introductory text for those wanting to acquaint themselves with the foundations of Kagyu practice without the introductory preamble.

dharmagoat wrote:I found Gampopa's "Jewel Ornament of Liberation" to be a good introductory text for those wanting to acquaint themselves with the foundations of Kagyu practice without the introductory preamble.